Indian Point Hearings Kick-Off!

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October 17 kicked off the start of administrative hearings in Albany that are critical to the fate of the Indian Point nuclear power plant. These hearings were initiated by the owner of the plant, Entergy, to dispute the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) landmark denial in April 2010 of a critical and necessary Water Quality Certification for the plant. Without the water quality certification, Indian Point can’t receive a renewed operating license.

As parties to the proceedings, Riverkeeper, Scenic Hudson, and Natural Resources Defense Council have spent months working with renowned biologists and engineers to prepare testimony for the hearings. For the next several months, Riverkeeper attorneys will be presenting evidence and witnesses covering several critical environmental issues, which will demonstrate that DEC’s denial was undoubtedly the correct decision.

The issues to be covered over the next several months may include:

• Why Entergy’s proposal to install cylindrical wedgewire screens at Indian Point will not minimize adverse environmental impacts to fish in the Hudson River;
• How past and ongoing radiological leaks and releases from degraded, aging components at Indian Point contaminate groundwater and the Hudson River and violate state water quality standards;
• How Indian Point impacts endangered shortnose sturgeon in the Hudson River;
• How Entergy’s screen proposal would not abate the severe thermal pollution that emanates from the plant, and would result in ongoing violations of state standards related to thermal discharges.

The hearings are open to the public and will carry on daily at DEC headquarters located at 625 Broadway, Albany, New York from approximately 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Particular dates and times are subject to change, contact DEC’s Bureau of Public Outreach at [email protected] or 518-402-8044 for specific daily information.